Al Sharpton on Education

Reverend; Civil Rights Activist; Democratic Candidate for President

Two Americas divided by race and language, not just wealth

EDWARDS: We not only have two Americas because of the people who are doing very well financially and the rest of America, I think weíve got two public school systems in this country. Weíve got one for the most affluent communities and one for everybody
else. Itís wrong.

SHARPTON: I do not think that it is fair to say that there are two Americas. There are many Americas. Our only problem in America is not just class. Many of us have problems that have succumbed to class barriers but still
have the race barriers, or the barriers of language if you are Latino, or the barriers of sexual discrimination if you are, one, a woman or gay and lesbian. So I think itís very simplistic to just say that itís two Americas,
one for the wealthy, one for the poor. Wealthy [minority] men still face discrimination. Gays and lesbians, they may make a lot of money, they still face discrimination.

Vouchers are a gradual step toward privatization

Q: Do you support allowing parents in areas that are poor or with bad schools to use tax money to help send their children to private schools?

A: No, I think that the moneys ought to be applied to public schools and not any form of privatization and I consider vouchers part of a gradual step toward privatization.

Source: Associated Press policy Q&A, ďSchool VouchersĒ
Jan 25, 2004

Supports HJR29, right to equality of education for all

We must remember that conditions in many of our own schools are in need of fixing. In inner cities and rural countrysides across America, there are students who languish in schools that are in disrepair.
With this knowledge, I urge support of House Joint Resolution 29, which would guarantee the right to a public education of equal quality to all Americans.

Source: Comments on ABCís ĎThe Notepadí
Apr 30, 2003

Education should be a constitutional right

One of the things that Iíve said is that we need to deal with the structure of how we deal with rights in this country.
We have to have the right to education from the Constitution, the right to health care. Iím talking about fundamental rights. Iím not talking about just new programs.

Source: Interview on FOX
Apr 16, 2003

Supports school prayer, but donít impose it

As a minister I am for school prayer , but I am not for imposing prayer no schoolchildren. I believe that just as children are not forced to pray, they should not b forced from praying, if thatís what they want to do.

There should be a moment of
silence to begin each school day, when children can either say a silent prayer, meditate, or do nothing. Thatís not unconstitutional in my opinion. But to ban prayer from school is not only immoral, it is as wrong as forcing school prayer.

Source: Al On America, by Rev. Al Sharpton, p. 89
Jan 1, 2002

Al Sharpton on School Choice

GOP plan is to use vouchers to reduce education funding

The federal government already has a small role in public education. It spends only 6% of the budget on education.
But the radical conservative Republicans aim is to reduce that to 3 percent - and switch this little bit of public spending to private and parochial schools through vouchers.

Source: Comments on ABCís ĎThe Notepadí
May 2, 2003

Supports public education, not vouchers

I believe in public education, do not believe in going into privatization, whether that be through vouchers or other schemes.